


Flippers and Feet

by Ciriun



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Childhood Friends, Fishing, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Selkies, merfolk, merman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-03-08 05:11:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13451247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciriun/pseuds/Ciriun
Summary: A young prince's first fishing trip leads to a meeting with a descendant of those blessed by the Tidemother - The Children of Leviathan. But this one isn't like what the stories tell about them. What will happen when two kids from different races become best friends?





	1. Chapter 1

    A fishing trip. Noctis had gotten the idea when he overheard Clarus talking to his father about the one he had recently taken his children on. Fishing was good for teaching patience, he had said, and besides that it was nice to spend some time together, just the three of them. He admitted the rivers in Insomnia really didn’t compare to what could be found outside the city, but they sufficed for beginners.

    It was at that point that Noct stopped eavesdropping and let himself into the room properly. “Dad? Can we go fishing?”

    Regis shared a knowing look with Clarus and chuckled. It was far from the first time his precocious son had obviously been listening in on their conversations. He squatted down to be on the boy’s level. “What do you know about fishing?”

    Noctis thought about it. “Um… Not much. But you can teach me, right?”

    Clarus laughed, smiling wryly at his king. “The boy thinks you know everything, doesn’t he?”

    “If you think I’m not up for it, then why don’t you teach him? You are the expert, aren’t you?” Regis teased back.

    Clarus opened his mouth to argue, but Noctis spoke up first. “No! Can’t it be just the two of us?”

    The smile faded from Regis’s face. He solemnly placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Noct, you know that can’t happen. It wouldn’t be safe.” Noctis hung his head in defeat, something it always pained Regis to see. “However, I do believe we could keep our guard minimal. It is only a fishing trip, after all. I should have time next weekend, which will give us plenty of time to get all the gear we need and maybe read up a bit on how to go about fishing. How does that sound?”

    Noctis forced a smile for his father, well aware the suggested compromise was the best he was going to get, and it would still mean spending time together. “Thanks, dad.” He put his arms around his father, squeezing him tightly.

    Regis returned the gesture, embracing his boy for a moment before standing again. “Good. Now run along, we have much more boring things than fishing to discuss.”

    Noctis spent the days leading up to their trip thinking about nothing but fishing. He read every book and magazine about it he could get his hands on, or tried to at least. Mostly he looked at the pictures. He asked every servant and retainer he encountered if they knew anything about fishing. And most importantly, he sat with his father as they puzzled out how to correctly bait and cast lines.

    When the day finally arrived the young prince could barely contain himself. He was up and dressing himself even before the maid came to wake him and couldn’t be stopped from racing down the halls to the dining room and flinging the door open. “Dad, are you-?”

    He stopped. The table only had one place setting and his father was nowhere to be seen. The footman in charge of serving breakfast that morning stepped forward. “Your Highness, I have a message for you from His Majesty.” He hesitated, less than eager to deliver the news. “Something has come up and he will be unable to join you today.”

    Noctis didn’t respond, he just stared at his father’s empty seat. Sullenly he dragged his heels to his own chair, not waiting for it be pulled out for him as he took his seat. He ate silently, pretending not to notice the small cluster of servants that had formed to fret over him at a polite distance. When he had finished he slid down from his chair and headed to the door, intending to go back to his room.

    “Your Highness?” One of the maids was following him. She had a tentative smile on her face. “Would you like assistance getting ready?”

    “Ready for what?” Noctis asked skeptically.

    “For your fishing trip. Ah, your father won’t be able to join you, but he made arrangements to send you with an escort.” Seeing the prince still looked unmotivated, she quickly added. “I’m sure he’s looking forward to seeing what you catch.”

    For a few silent seconds Noctis mulled it over. It hadn’t really been about the fishing. Sure it would still be a rare opportunity to get out of the castle, but that wasn’t the point this time. Now it had turned into something else entirely, something where they wouldn’t make him do it, but if he didn’t then soon the whole castle would be fussing over him and his father would be disappointed. It wasn’t really about what he wanted anymore, it was about everyone thinking he wanted it.

    “I’ll get myself ready.” He answered, noting the look of relief that washed over the maid’s face. He quickly turned away from it to get away to his room.

    He took his time getting himself ready since it meant a little longer that he didn’t have to deal with everyone else’s expectations. He gathered up the gear his father had bought for him to use on their fishing trip, put on the new boots and jacket to keep him dry and warm, and finally the new hat that he had insisted was very important as he had shown his father how all the real fisherman in the magazines wore hats.

    Dressed and ready, he let himself be lead to where a car was waiting for him. He watched through the window as they pulled away from the Citadel and headed out into the city. Huge buildings drifted past until they reached a bridge and all of the city sprawled out below them. The road twisted and bent around, the awkward route making it clear that no one was expected to want to get from the heart of the city to where they were going. Soon they were making their way along rocky slopes, first dotted with trees and then covered in them.

    Finally the road leveled out and Noctis could catch glimpses of the shining water through the foliage. A few minutes later the car came to a stop and he was allowed out. He stepped down with a crunch onto the loose gravel that paved the little lot they had parked in and looked around. It was a bit like the park he would sometimes sneak out to, but even wilder, and there was the constant sound of rushing water not far away.

    “Your Highness, this way.” The request came from one of the two Crownsguard who had been sent along with him. It was a smaller number than he expected, just four other people including the chauffeur. Two had already gone ahead to check the area while the other two stayed with him to guide him safely down to the water. It was a steep and in some places slippery path, but he was more experienced with that than anyone knew, and his small size worked in his favor.

    He clambered and skidded his way to the riverbank with the Crownsguard matching pace as best as they could. The other two who were waiting for them made a quick report to their fellows that everything looked fine and there was unlikely to be any problems this far inland anyway. One started to say something about a broken grate in the wall, but he was quickly hushed with a few worried glances at the prince. That was fine, no one ever seemed to want to talk about that sort of thing with him.

    Noctis ignored them as best he could as he found a spot he felt would be good to fish from and settled to getting everything set up how he wanted. Now and then one of his guard would try to be helpful, but he didn’t really want their advice even if they did know more about fishing than he did, and they mostly backed off once he got started.

    Fishing, it turned out, was actually kind of fun, once you got your guards to back off far enough that you didn’t have to listen to them chattering. It gave him something to focus on, letting him forget all about being the prince and having the king for a father. Time seemed to slow and the world shrank to just him, the river, and the fish.

 

* * *

 

    A few hours and a few small fish later and Noctis felt he was really getting the hang of it. He’d tried a few different lures, and his last fish had been noticeably bigger than the others. Somewhere behind him his guard had settled on various rocks and logs to swap stories, only vaguely watching him to make sure he didn’t wander off.

    As he was studying the water looking for where to cast next, a large shadow caught his eye. He watched it carefully as it moved through the water, weaving about in the current until it came to rest on the upstream side of a large rock. Noctis quickly rummaged through his tackle box, selecting the shiniest lure he could find to fix onto his line. He checked again to be sure the shadow was still there, pulled back his rod, and cast. It landed perfectly so that that current and a little quick reeling brought it directly to the shadow. Noctis gripped his rod as tightly as he could, bracing himself for a bite.

    Something tugged on the line, hard enough to make the prince stumble forward. He pulled back, but it pulled harder, yanking him forward. He yelped as he plunged into the water, still clinging desperately to his rod. He bobbed up to the surface, coughing out the water that had rushed into his mouth. It was only seconds more before one of the Crownsguard grabbed him and hauled him back to shore while two more were in the water investigating what he had hooked.

    As he was passed to the remaining guard to be examined and bundled in their coat, he heard a cry from the water. “No, let me go! Please!”

    He looked back to where the three soaked guards were studying what one of them had pulled from the river. It looked sort of like a human, a child, but it was covered in soggy fur and where there should have been legs and feet there was a tail that ended in flippers. It was squirming desperately and in its hand Noctis spotted his hook and lure.

    “What do we do with it?” One of the guards was asking. They all looked very uncomfortable.

    “We can’t just put it back in the river. Those things are dangerous.”

    “Well we can’t kill it, either. It’s bad luck to kill a Hydrafilius.”

    Noctis craned his neck to try to keep the strange creature in his sight even as his guard was drying him off. He’d head of the Hydrafilii, the Children of Leviathan. Legends said that before the Kingdom of Lucis was formed, there had been a cult to Leviathan who she had blessed to be able to live in the sea. No longer fully human, they were known to trick and drown people and even sink ships.

    Still at a loss, the Crownsguard carried the helpless Hydrafilius out of the river with them, ignoring its pleas and sobs. It didn’t look dangerous. It looked soft, and chubby, and most of all scared. Noctis ducked away from his guard and strode purposefully to the other three. “You’re scaring him.”

    They all looked down at the little prince and the Hydrafilius fell quiet other than the occasional sniffle. Noctis looked up at him, dangling from the arms of the guard holding him. “Are you okay?”

    The creature sniffled again and nodded. “Please, don’t hurt me. I-I didn’t mean to do anything bad, honest.”

    “We’re not going to hurt you.” Noctis answered, reaching up to put a hand on his tail. It made the guards nervous, but he didn’t care. He just smiled reassuringly. “You didn’t mean to pull me in the river, right?”

    It gave him a wide-eyed look of shock. “I pulled you in? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to! I just, I saw this shiny thing, I didn’t know it was yours.” He held out the glittering golden lure, now speckled red. In his panic he had been squeezing both it and the hook in his hand and had cut himself on the barbs.

    “I believe you.” Noctis soothed, his gaze quickly moving from the cuts up to the faces of the guards. “We’ve got to clean his hand so it doesn’t get infected.”

    The guards looked at him, then at each other. One of them broke off to check the first aid kit, retrieving some antiseptic and bandages. The little Hydrafilius whimpered as they cleaned and wrapped his hand, one flipper curving against Noctis’s arm in an attempt to hold onto it. Noctis stroked his tail to keep him calm, speaking softly to him. “It’s okay. It hurts a little, but it’ll keep you from getting sick. You’re gonna be okay.”

    The guards were still nervous. Noctis could tell by the way they were shifting and looking at each other that none of them knew what to do, and if he waited for them to decide it could turn out very bad for the Hydrafilius. “We’ve got to take him with us.”

    “But Your Highness…” One of them began to object.

    “You already said you can’t put him back in the river, right? And he got hurt because of me, so it’s my responsibility to make sure he’s okay, isn’t it? So we have to bring him back to the Citadel with us.” He tried to sound firm and commanding, like Clarus when he gave his men orders. “I said he’d be okay. That’s giving my word and I have to keep it.”

    Again the Crownsguard exchanged looks. One of them shrugged helplessly. “They’re harmless when they’re out of the water, right?”

    Another agreed. “It’ll have to do for now. We can figure the rest out after we get the prince home.”

    Noctis sighed in relief. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but at least for now the Hydrafilius would be safe. Feeling that he had to maintain his authority, he grabbed his bucket of fish and lead the way back to the car and the baffled chauffeur. There was a suggestion to put their captive in the trunk, but a firm objection from Noctis was all it took to have it placed on the seat beside him instead.

    The little creature sat anxiously kicking his flippers. He looked up at all of the guards, then at Noctis seated beside him, then his gaze dropped to the bucket. “Are those… your fish?”

    “Yeah.” Noctis answered. “I caught them myself.”

    “All of them? By yourself? You must be really good at catching fish. I’m not.” He peered into the bucket wistfully.

    “Do you want them?” Noctis held the bucket out to him, watching his eyes widen at the offer.

    “Really? You’re sure?” A final nod from Noctis was enough to convince the Hydrafilius and he seized the bucket, sticking his hand in to pull out a fish which he shoved head first into his mouth. Noctis stared transfixed as his companion quickly devoured all of the fish in huge, crunching bites. When he finished he offered the bucket back. “Thanks. I haven’t had anything but crayfish since I got lost in the river.”

    Noctis tried to make himself stop staring in horror. “Oh. How did you get in the river anyway?”

    “I was gathering clams by the wall, there are a lot there, and the current felt kind of funny so I went to see what was causing it.” He began, gesturing wildly as he told his story. “One of the big holes in the wall that the water goes through was open, all the way open not just bars. I knew I wasn’t supposed to, but I wanted to see what was on the other side. I swam through and I was just going to look around a little, that’s all, but some humans saw me and started shouting and tried to throw a net and spears at me. So I just started swimming as fast as I could to get away and I ended up going up the river. I was afraid if I went back they would catch me, so I’ve been here ever since.”

    “How long ago was that?” Noctis asked, concerned.

    “I don’t know. A week, maybe? It feels like forever.” He bunched up as much as he could, making himself look even rounder.

    “It’s okay now. We’ll take care of you.” Noctis promised, setting a hand on his shoulder. His fur was starting to dry out and puff up around him.

    “Thank you.” He gave Noctis a weak smile.

    Noctis smiled back. It probably wouldn’t be easy, but he was going to make sure that nothing happened to the other boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The setup for this got longer and sadder than I had intended. But don't worry, it will get fluffier, I promise! In more ways than one!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all the love this little fic has gotten! I really didn't expect a piece of fluff by an unknown author would get so much attention so fast. Thank you!
> 
> Here's the second chapter, and chapter 3 is in the works. If you're still enjoying this, please check out the end notes for a detailed description of Hydrafilius Prompto and the audience participation section of the fic.

    The car stopped in front of the Citadel and the Crownsguard piled out, one of them helpfully holding the door for the young prince while another removed their guest from his seat and carried him around the back. Already he was squirming against the hold.

    “Put me down! I can walk on my own!” The fuss drew Noctis’s attention in time to watch something genuinely magical. As the little Hydrafilius squirmed, his soft creamy fur began to recede from his head down as if it was being washed away. His tail parted into two kicking legs and his flippers drew back into feet.

    The guard hastily set what now looked like any other boy down on his feet and removed their own coat to drape over his unclothed body. As if having him along hadn’t been awkward enough, now it looked even worse.

    The only one not bothered by the transformation was Noctis, who quickly strode to the other boy and seized his hand. The boy’s head whipped around with a fearful look, but he relaxed when he saw who was grabbing him. He even smiled and squeezed the prince’s hand in return.

    “I didn’t know you could do that.” Noctis marveled, studying his new shape. The fur was gone but his tuft of tousled blonde hair remained. His skin was almost as pale as his coat had been, and almost as soft, too. If they had been alone Noctis wouldn’t have been able to resist touching and prodding him out of curiosity, but with the guards looming over them he was determined to remain focused on keeping the other boy close and safe.

    The boy smiled at him shyly. “Sure, we can all do that. It makes going on land easier. For some of us it’s the only way to get out of the water.”

    Noctis wanted to ask more, but already more guards were coming over to see what was going on. “Come on, let’s go inside.” Noctis said loudly enough for the surrounding Crownsguard to hear, and immediately put words to action as he started for the steps, his companion following while glancing anxiously at the adults still standing over them.

    Unsurprisingly, one of them tried to stand in the prince’s way. “Your Highness, you can’t just take it with you.”

    “Why not?” Noctis demanded, planting his feet and pulling his companion closer.

    “It’s, uh… Because it’s not… It wouldn’t be safe.” They finished with as much conviction as they could muster, which wasn’t much. Dealing with the prince so directly wasn’t typically part of their job, and the intensity of his stare was getting unsettling.

    “Why? Do Hydrafil- Hydra- Do Leviathan’s Children have more magic than changing shape?” Stumbling over the unfamiliar word was frustrating, but he wasn’t about to let something so trivial stop him from making his argument.

    “They might. I’m, uh, not really sure… So we’d better not take any chances. We’re not going to hurt him.” They tried desperately to placate the prince, but it wasn’t working, not helped by the fact that the Hydrafilius was huddling closer to him for protection. Not to mention how bad the scene looked with one still soggy prince and what would appear to be another naked child.

    The solution to their dilemma finally appeared in the unlikely form of a boy only slightly older than the prince coming out of the castle and demanding sharply of them, “What is going on here?”

    The lone guard stepped aside to permit the prince’s advisor to approach and see for himself. Although Ignis didn’t technically have any authority, being just a child himself, it was well known that he had a way with the prince and could often get him to cooperate when no one else save for maybe the boy’s father could.

    His eyes snapped from the prince, taking in his damp hair and clothes, to the stranger and his lack of clothes, and back. “Who is this?”

    “My friend.” Noctis answered firmly, meeting Ignis’s penetrating gaze with his own firm one.

    “I am?” The boy wondered, looking up at the prince.

    Noctis’s gaze immediately softened as he turned to smile at him. “Sure you are.”

    Ignis looked back and forth between them again, then up at the guard. “You’d better get them both inside.”

    “But, uh…” The guard tried to object.

    “His Highness could catch a cold standing around like that, and his… friend needs clothes.” He pointed out in a oddly patronizing tone for someone so young.

    “Right.” The guard muttered, giving up. At least they could still escort the prince, all of them trooping along with the children all the way to the prince’s room where they could finally hand him and his ‘friend’ off to a startled maid.

    Noctis let her remove his wet clothes and bundle the two of them in blankets while she hastily fetched some towels and sent some other poor servant to acquire clothes that would fit their new guest. The shuffling of feet outside suggested that at least some of the Crownsguard were still hanging around, unwilling to enter the prince’s private chamber without more reason than him being alone with a maybe possibly dangerous other child.

    The prince turned to his new friend, smiling to see him nuzzling the soft material of the blanket wrapped around him. “See? I told you it would be okay.”

    He smiled back at him. “Thanks. I don’t know what they would have done to me if you hadn’t helped.” He ducked deeper into the blanket at the thought.

    Noctis hadn’t forgotten hearing the Crownsguard suggest the option of simply killing the boy back when they had first caught him. He scooted close and stuck out his hand to his friend. “I won’t let them do anything. I promise.”

    He nodded and reached out to take the offered hand. “I know you won’t. You’re really nice, uh… Hey, what’s your name?”

    “It’s Noctis. What’s yours?” It hadn’t occurred to him that Hydrafi- Leviathan’s Children had names.

    “I’m Prompto.” He smiled, squeezing the prince’s hand a little.

    Their conversation was interrupted as the maid returned and Ignis trailed in after her, standing out of the way and observing quietly, both the maid drying and properly dressing the prince and the stranger peering out at them from the shelter of his blanket. The newcomer certainly didn’t look dangerous or in any way unusual, but the guards had filled him in on the full story. Child or not, he wasn’t going to trust some wild creature around the prince so easily.

    The maid apologized to the prince for not being able to find any clothes for his friend and quickly assured him that it was being dealt with. Noctis politely thanked her and confirmed that he didn’t need anything else and he was fine, really. With a last worried look, she took her leave, leaving the three children alone together in the room.

    The prince climbed back on the bed to sit with his friend again, a cue that Ignis took to mean he should approach. “You shouldn’t be getting so friendly with him, Your Highness.”

    Noctis shot him an irritated pout. “Prompto, this is Ignis. He thinks he’s in charge of me.”

    “I am responsible for you.” Ignis corrected firmly.

    Prompto offered him a hesitant smile. “I’m Prompto. It’s, uh, nice to meet you?”

    The shyness and show of manners were unexpected enough to be disarming, just a little. “Likewise.” He answered automatically, then quickly refocused on Noctis. “Tell me what happened.”

    “I was out fishing and I saw what looked like a really big fish, so I tried to catch it, but it was actually him. He saw my lure and grabbed it and accidentally pulled me in the water. The Crownsguard pulled us both out and said they couldn’t put him back, so I made them bring him here with us.” He looked at Prompto for confirmation and the other boy quickly nodded.

    “So he really is a Hydrafilius? Ignis asked, looking closely at Prompto for some clear sign of this.

    “Uh huh.” Prompto nodded and obligingly wriggled around under his blanket into a position that allowed him to transform back, although all they could see of it was the fur that spread across his hands and face.

    Noctis was staring again. Now fully dry, Prompto’s coat was irresistibly thick and fluffy. He simply couldn’t help reaching out to run the tips of his fingers down Prompto’s cheek. “So soft…”

    Prompto laughed uncertainly, not sure how to feel about being touched like that. “You think so?”

    Noctis nodded and was about to try again when Ignis interrupted. “Your Highness, it’s rude to poke people.”

    “No, it’s okay. He can touch me if he wants to.” Prompto offered, still a bit uncomfortable but eager to please the person who had rescued him. He leaned closer, letting Noctis run a hand through his hair and down his cheek and neck all the way to his shoulder. It was a little weird, but it wasn’t so bad.

    Ignis shook his head. At this rate it was going to be impossible to convince the prince that this new friendship would have to be temporary, for both their sakes. Perhaps he could appeal to their guest directly. “Prompto, was it?”

    “Yeah?” Prompto looked at him attentively even as Noct was sinking his fingers into his coat.

    “Don’t you have a… tribe or family to get back to?” He vaguely recalled that Hydrafilii were known to have some sort of society, but of what sort he couldn’t recall. Perhaps it wasn’t even known.

    Prompto hung his head. “Yeah. My parents might have noticed I’m missing by now.”

    Noctis tilted his head and frowned. “Didn’t you say you’d been lost in the river for a week?”

    “It might have been less than that.” Prompto confessed. “Or maybe more. It felt really long.”

    Now Ignis frowned as well. It didn’t make sense. “A week? And you’re not certain if your parents would even know?”

    “If it’s really been that long they might, probably.” From his tone it was hard to tell just who he was trying to convince, them or himself.

    “But you still want to go back to them, don’t you?” Ignis pressed, genuine concern starting to color his tone. Prompto’s answer did nothing to quell that feeling.

    “Yeah, I should. They’ll be worried whenever they do figure it out.”

    “Then we should get you back as soon as possible. If we do we may be able to avoid any misunderstandings with your people.” He added as further justification for what wasn’t feeling so much like the right answer.

    “Misunderstandings?” Prompto asked, sounding worried.

    “You know our kinds don’t get along, right?” When Prompto nodded, Ignis continued. “If your people think ours might have done something to you, they could become more hostile toward us. It’s happened before.”

    “Oh. Then I really do have to go back.” Prompto turned a sad look to Noctis.

    The suggestion of sending Prompto home had set Noctis’s mind racing. He didn’t want Prompto to leave, and it sounded like he didn’t want to go either. Why should he have to go back to a home with no parents, maybe no one else at all, when he could stay here with him? Then neither of them would have to be lonely anymore. There had to be a way. “What if… what if we negotiated?”

    Ignis raised an eyebrow at Noctis. “Negotiated?”

    “With the Leviathan’s Children. To let Prompto stay here.”

    For a moment Ignis was speechless. “Your Highness, you… You want to try to negotiate with the Hydrafilii for him? That’s… it’s impossible. Even if you could contact them, I doubt they would accept any offer that would involve you keeping one of their own.”

    Noctis huffed in frustration. “I’m not keeping him! He can go home if he wants. But what if he wants to stay here? Couldn’t he be a… an ambassador or something like that?”

    Ignis tried to wrap his head around the idea. He was going to object, but Prompto spoke first. “I could really stay here? With Noctis?”

    They were both looking at Ignis now, expecting an answer. He tried to think of the possibilities, the political ramifications, the logistics. But it was just too complicated. He didn’t know anything about Hydrafilii society or laws and there was no historical precedent that he knew of. It was just too much for him. “I… don’t know. You would have to ask His Majesty. The decision is his.”

    The answer didn’t deter Noctis in the slightest. “Alright, then I’ll ask him. Is he still busy?”

    “I believe so. But I’ll be sure he is informed that you need to speak to him as soon as he is available.” That much he could do. “But Your Highness, don’t get your hopes too high. I don’t think anyone has ever successfully negotiated with the Hydrafilii before.”

    “Did anyone ever have one on their side before?”

    Ignis wanted to point out that Prompto was just a kid, that they were all just kids as far as any politician was likely to be concerned, but arguing wouldn’t have done any good. “Just don’t expect too much. If you’ll excuse me.” He bowed and left the room, wondering how it was that the prince seemed to be more of a hazard than the magical water creature.

    With Ignis gone, Prompto turned a hopeful look to Noctis. “Are you really going to ask the king to let me stay here?”

    “Of course I am. Do you think your family will be okay with it?”

    Prompto looked down, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket and rubbing at his eyes with one hand. “I don’t know. You’re humans. I don’t think they’d like me being around you.”

    “That’s what the negotiations are for. We just have to convince them that we aren’t going to hurt you, and you’re happy here, and it’ll be good for everyone if you get to stay here with us.” He knew it wasn’t as easy as that, but his grasp on the details of diplomacy was shaky at best. But his father would know what to do.

    “I hope it works.” Prompto mumbled, his eyes starting to slip closed.

    “Are you okay?” Noctis leaned closer to look at him.

    Prompto nodded. “Uh huh. I’m just tired. I was… trying to sleep when you caught me. Swimming in a current all the time… is a lot of… work.” He yawned and nestled further into the blanket.

    Noctis gave a small sigh of relief and grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed. “Here, lie down. You can sleep now.” He helped his friend get comfortable, adjusting the blanket so it would still cover his flippers as he lay in the middle of the bed, head nestled on the pillow.

    “Thanks… Noctis.” He smiled sleepily up at him and let his eyes close. In moments he was sound asleep.

    Noctis risked one last stroke of his fuzzy cheek, not wanting to disturb him, and lay down beside him to watch his steady breathing and the peaceful look on his sleeping face. This was his friend and he wasn’t going to lose him, no matter what. He yawned, only now realizing that the events of the day had tired him, too. He snuggled up closer to Prompto and closed his eyes, soon drifting off to sleep as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone curious (or in need of a more detailed reference wink wink), Prompto's young Hyrdafilius form is based on a blonde Antarctic fur seal. I highly recommend googling it, there are some really adorable photos. From the waist up he looks basically like how he does in Brotherhood, hair included, with all of his skin except the palm side of his hands completely covered in his fluffy baby fur. The only part of him that really resembles a seal is his tail, which goes from the waist down like a mermaid tail. I won't get too detailed on the anatomy, but suffice to say nothing in that area is external if you know what I mean. He resembles an Otariid seal, meaning he has two distinct separate flippers that can rotate forward, like a sea lion rather than a "true" seal.
> 
> Now we get to the fun part. At his current age Prompto has his baby coat. In real seals this only lasts for a few weeks, but since he's not a seal and matures at a human rate, he gets to keep his through his childhood. Which leads us to the question: What will he look like when he grows up?
> 
> And that is where you come in! I want to know your opinions on this. Should he keep the same fluffy blonde fur through his whole life? Should he molt it all off and get a sleeker new adult coat? If he does, should the color stay the same or change to that of a species with a grey, spotted coat? And if so, which species should he end up looking like? (Personally I like the look of the Spotted Seal. Still fairly fuzzy and has some nice silvery tones to match his name.)
> 
> This isn't a popularity contest so I don't promise to go with what is voted for the most, I just want to know what you would most like to be officially how he'll look if/when I get to writing him as a teen or older. I would also like to note that he won't be losing his blubber (at least not in seal form) since that is an important adaptation to living in the water, so please keep that in mind.
> 
> The final decision will be made... eventually. I don't have a specific date or chapter in mind, so basically some time before I try to write anything with him older. So if you're looking at this weeks later, chances are you haven't missed the deadline and can still put in your two cents.
> 
> Thanks again everyone, I'm looking forward to hearing what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Once again, thank you all for continuing to read this cute little fic, it really means a lot to me!
> 
> Just as a reminder, don't forget to check the notes at the end of chapters. That's where I'll be putting details I can't figure out how to work into the story itself and posing questions to all of you about where you want to see this story go.

Regis could feel his heart pounding as he strode swiftly through the halls, resisting the urge to break into a run. His jaw was set and teeth clenched to avoid saying anything regrettable to the poor Crownsguard who was trailing after him. They had assured him repeatedly that his son was in no danger, but how could they say that when they had left him with a… a…

How had he let something like this happen? He’d known about the damaged outflow grate, he’d been in meetings about it all week. There had been no reports of anything dangerous getting any further than the harbor, so he had trusted that a quick inspection of the area where his son would be fishing would be sufficient. He should have known better than to take even that much of a risk, should have just cancelled the trip entirely.

And that would have been letting down his son yet again. That was why he had allowed it against his own better judgement, and it had almost cost him very dearly. He should have put the boy’s safety before anything else. He would have understood someday when he was older.

The gaggle of Crownsguard keeping watch at the prince’s door snapped to attention when he arrived only to be completely ignored as he flung open the door to his son’s room. His gaze searched until he found the figure of his son lying on his bed, nestled close to another shape. With a wave of relief he noted the soft rise and fall of his son’s body as he breathed steadily.

Quietly he stepped into the room and made his way to the bed to get a better look at the situation. Noctis was sleeping soundly, one arm around his companion to keep them close and his face pressed to their chest. He looked so peaceful and comfortable, safe and unharmed just as the guards had promised.

He leaned over them to get a better look at the other. Only his head was visible and his fur covered face was partly obscured by Noctis’s hair. He, too, was still asleep, with a soft smile still on his lips. Seeing him like that it was hard to think of him as a threat. He was only a child, not that different from any other.

Regis stepped back, his gaze lingering on the two boys cuddled together in a mess of blankets in the middle of the too big bed, Noctis holding his companion protectively. It was so heartwarming he could hardly believe that the little creature his son was embracing was barely better than a monster. He tore his gaze away and left the room, closing the door carefully so as not to disturb them. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he wondered what he was going to do about this.

Loud footsteps approached from down the hall and he turned to see Clarus with Gladiolus at his heels. He gave them a calm nod to indicate that the situation was in hand and stepped away from the door to meet them partway.

“Your Highness, is everything alright?” Clarus asked, eyes darting to look past his king at the door. Beside him his son was even more tense than he was, barely restraining himself from bolting the remaining distance. Young as he was, if anything happened to the prince he was well aware that he would still bear the shame of it.

“Yes, it seems to be.” Regis confirmed, even if he was still accepting it himself. “Noctis is fine. He’s resting now.”

“And the Hydrafilius? Where is it?”

“With him.” He quickly raised a hand to stifle the objections he knew Clarus would have. “See for yourself.”

Obediently Clarus and Gladiolus followed their king to the door, which he held open for them. The sight inside left the younger Amicitia stunned while the older refused to be swayed by the tranquil appearance of the situation. Stepping back he resumed the conversation in a hushed voice. “Your Majesty, you can’t seriously intend to allow this to continue. That thing should be removed immediately.”

“I know, Clarus, I know.” Small as helpless as it looked, they really didn’t know how dangerous it could be. The right thing to do for the safety of his son would be to have it taken and kept somewhere secure until they figured out what to do with it. The choice should have been clear, but he still didn’t want to do it.

Clarus put a hand on his king’s, his friend’s shoulder. The conflicted look on his face was all too easy to understand. “We have to do what’s best for him.”

As the adults were talking, Gladio had crept into the bedroom and up to the prince’s bed to get a look at the thing that had his father so worried. The soft, fuzzy, rounded face was more fitting of one of Iris’s toys than a monster. It looked like the sort of thing that would start crying if you hit it.

Trying to find anything at all dangerous about the pathetic little thing, he put one leg up on the bed and reached out to tug the covers back from it, just a little. The mattress shifting under him and the blanket sliding against his fur was enough to cause Prompto to stir. He blinked a few times sleepily, then immediately froze with his eyes going wide as he looked up at the stranger looming above him, one arm stretched out across him drawing his blanket off of him.

In the next few seconds, the peace of the room erupted into chaos. The sound of Gladio yelping in pain and crashing into the furniture had both adults rushing into the room and to their respective sons. Gladiolus was on the floor, staring in shock at the bed and cradling his hand. On the bed, Noctis was sitting up and holding a cowering Hydrafilius in both his arms.

“What happened?” Clarus demanded, mostly of his son.

“It… It bit me!” Gladio answered, more stunned than angry.

“I’m sorry!” Prompto whimpered, clinging to Noctis and peering anxiously back at Gladio. “You… You scared me.”

Leaving Clarus to check that his boy was unharmed, Regis approached the bed. “Are you both alright?” He asked, keeping his voice soft and level.

Prompto ducked down further and Noctis tightened his hold on him. “It’s okay, no one’s going to hurt you.” Noctis soothed, rubbing the creature’s back.

“That is right, we don’t mean you any harm.” Regis assured, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed by them and offering him a gentle smile. Regardless of what the creature really was, in that moment all he could see was a frightened child. “Now why don’t you tell me what happened?”

“I don’t know. I woke up and he-” Prompto pointed a finger in Gladio’s direction. “Was really, really close. I thought he was trying to grab me or… or something. I was so scared I just… I bit his hand. I’m sorry.”

Instinctively Regis reached out to him, slowly so as not to startle him, and set a broad hand on his back. “It’s alright. You didn’t mean any harm, and I’m sure he’s fine. Isn’t he?” The last question was directed to Clarus.

“Yes, he’s fine. It didn’t even break skin.” He answered, helping his boy to his feet. “And just what were you doing, Gladiolus?”

“I wanted to see what he looked like.” Gladio admitted, head bowed in shame both for doing something he clearly shouldn’t have and for letting his guard down so badly that a harmless little ball of fluff had been able to land a hit on him.

“You were out of line.” Clarus reprimanded in a tone that made Prompto flinch even knowing it wasn’t being directed at him. “Now apologize to His Highness for intruding and causing a scene.”

Gladio bowed to the young prince. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Then after a pause he met the Prompto’s still nervous gaze. “And I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“Sorry I bit you.” Prompto answered, slowly starting to calm down. “You’re really okay, right?”

“It was just a bite. I’ve had a lot worse than that.” He considered adding that he’d been bitten harder by his own sister, but refrained. Instead he just held up his hand to show that there was nothing more than a small semicircle of red marks. But he didn’t hold himself back from asking, “You’re not venomous or anything, are you?”

Prompto quickly shook his head. “No, I can’t do anything like that.”

“And your teeth aren’t even that sharp.” Gladio mused, studying his bite again. “What about claws, do you have those?”

“Yeah.” He squirmed and kicked his flippers around until he managed to get one poking out of the blankets to show him.

Stepping closer, Gladio leaned forward to take a look. “You call those claws? They don’t look sharp, either.”

Not one to let a friend be insulted, Noctis shot his shield an irritated look over Prompto’s shoulder. “So what if he doesn’t have sharp claws or teeth? Neither do you.”

Put on the spot, Gladio could answer honestly. “I’m just trying to figure out what about him could be dangerous.”

“Me? Dangerous?” Prompto turned his perplexed look from Gladio to Noctis, then Regis, Clarus, and finally back to where he had started. “Why would I be dangerous?”

Clarus clamped a hand on his son’s shoulder to end the pointless conversation. “That’s enough. Questioning him won’t prove anything.”

“But I’m not!” Prompto insisted, looking around at everyone else in the room again. How could they, people who were all bigger and stronger and probably had things like fancy weapons, think that about him?

Once again Regis felt the irresistible urge to comfort him. “We don’t believe that you are, we simply don’t know what you might be capable of. You’re the first Hydrafilius any of us have met personally and we know very little about your people.”

That made a little more sense at least. “There are people who have stuff like really sharp teeth, and claws, and fangs, and poison barbs, and all of those things, but not all of us do. I’ve just got fur and flippers.”

“But you do have magic.” Regis pointed out calmly.

“Only what the Tidemother blessed us all with. Having more magic than that is really, really rare.” By now Prompto was no longer huddled close to Noctis, having sat back to be able to talk more easily, although one of the prince’s arms still remained around his back.

Regis looked to where Clarus was listening with a determined frown. He seemed to be the only one unconvinced about the Hydrafilius. Which is what the boy really was, not an ordinary child but a creature of the sea whose nature they knew painfully little about. He had to remember that, no matter how hard it was. For the sake of his son.

Noctis was watching his father, all too familiar with that conflicted look. It always meant something disappointing and this time he could easily guess it was about Prompto. He had to act now. “He wants to stay with us.”

“What?” Regis turned a puzzled look on his son.

“Prompto. He wants to stay here. So I thought maybe we could ask his people if he could be an ambassador. That way he doesn’t have to leave and they won’t think we stole him or hurt him or anything. Please dad?” Pleading rarely made much of a difference other than his father looking even sadder, but he had to try. This was really important.

    As Noctis had expected, Regis was giving him that pained, apologetic look. “I doubt his people would agree to something like that, especially when he’s so young.”

    “But it’s what he wants, too!” Noctis argued, clutching Prompto tighter. “Can’t we at least try to ask them?”

    Regis glanced at Clarus again despite knowing what his opinion on this would be. He would still want the creature removed as soon as possible and definitely no trying to communicate with the Hydrafilii. That would be foolish and reckless and probably pointless since they had never shown any inclination to talk to humans. But looking at his son and his new friend, their faces turned up to him with matching anxious, hopeful looks, he could feel his resolve weakening. “What you are asking is no simple matter. The Hydrafilii are not fond of us humans. We would have to approach them with the utmost caution, and still it would be a great risk to anyone involved.”

    “But if it works, then they wouldn’t hate us so much anymore, right? We could even be allies.”

    It was a good argument, for a child who couldn’t possibly understand the complexities of politics, so he tried to match his answer to his son’s level of understanding. “That would be nice. But such an arrangement is almost entirely one sided. They would gain little from it, and so are unlikely to agree.”

    Noctis thought hard about it. There had to be something they could offer in return. Seeing his friend at a loss and wanting to help if he could, Prompto offered, “You could let us in the city.”

    All eyes turned to him and he shrunk down under the intensity of it. Regis leaned down closer, genuinely curious. “Why would the Hydrafilii want to come in to the city?”

    “Cuz you’ve got all sorts of stuff we don’t. Like really fast boats and strong weapons. If we could get our own, then we wouldn’t need to go after ships to try to take them.”

    Now he had Clarus’s full attention. “Are you saying that the reason your people attack ships is to steal our technology?”

    Prompto leaned closer to Noctis again. The King seemed nice, but that guy was still scary. “Um, mostly, I think. Or if the ships are somewhere they shouldn’t be, or if they attack us first.”

    Regis looked to his shield, who was contemplating this new information. “It seems we will have to consider your idea of meeting with the Hydrafilii.”

    “Really!?” Noctis could barely contain his excitement.

    “Yes, but don’t get too excited just yet. Coming to a decision will take time, and the outcome will depend as much on their people as on ours. There is no guarantee you will get what you want from this.”

    “I know.” But just the chance was more than he expected, and more than enough to earn his father a tight hug with Prompto being dragged into it as well. “Thanks, dad.”

    Regis smiled and wrapped his arms around them both, pleased to feel the little Hydrafilius nestle into his chest. “I will do what I can.” He promised, holding them for as long as he reasonably could. It was a moment he wished could last forever, but there would be so much more to do now. Reluctantly he released them and rose from the bed. “In the meantime, I suppose it is best if Prompto remains with you.”

    “Your Majesty.” Clarus had to voice his objection, even knowing the futility of it.

    “Yes, I know. They cannot be left entirely unguarded. Which is precisely what we have shields for, isn’t it?” There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he looked from the other father to his son.

    “What? Me?” Gladio started, not expecting to be involved any further, especially not after his shameful behavior earlier. Was this some sort of punishment? He quickly caught himself before his father could reprimand him for addressing his King in such a manner and stood at attention. “I mean, yes, Your Majesty! I will keep His Highness safe.”

    Regis nodded and looked again to Clarus. “That should be acceptable, shouldn’t it?”

    The elder shield was trying to keep his expression firm and severe, but even he was having a hard time taking the potential threat of the most harmless looking creature he’d ever seen seriously. And having his old friend draft his son into protecting the prince from something that likely couldn’t do more harm than a kitten was rather comical. “Yes, I think that will suffice.”

    “Good. Gladiolus, you are to watch over the both of them, and to protect my son as always.” However gently delivered, it was still a direct order from the King.

    Gladio bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

    “Very good. Now I still have work to attend to, but I will see you all at dinner.” With a polite incline of his head, the King took his leave, followed closely by his shield.

    They were partway down the hall when Clarus nudged his king in the ribs with his elbow. “He takes after you too much.”

    “Does he?” Regis asked with a smile.

    “Once he decides he wants something, he’s willing to move mountains to get it. And you keep letting him get away with it.”

    “When I’m able.” The king admitted unabashedly. “Much like how you let me get away with it.”

    The shield answered with an amused grunt. “This isn’t going to be an easy one.”

    “No, it isn’t. We truly will need to use all possible caution. But we do have a rather unexpected resource now, don’t we?”

    “A resource, huh? That’s not what you were treating him like a minute ago.” The genuine affection he’d shown the boy had been unmissable.

    “An ally, then.” Regis offered, maintaining his dignity. “One who wants to see peace established between our peoples and is willing to share what he knows to achieve that goal.”

    Clarus raised an eyebrow. “Is that really what you think, or just the politician in you talking?”

    Regis chuckled. “You’re going to make me admit it, aren’t you? As long it doesn’t make relations with the Hydrafilii worse, then I couldn’t care less what comes of this so long as that boy is able to remain here. It has been too long since I have seen Noctis so happy, and if there is a way to let him keep that happiness, then I will do everything in my power to find it.”

    “His happiness?” Clarus pressed, earning himself a discreet shove from the King. “Of course, Your Majesty.” If Regis wanted, they could keep up the pretense that it was entirely for his son’s sake and not because he was a sucker for children. At least having a new kid around might get him to stop asking after his two so much. He paused, a thought striking him. “Wait a minute. You arranged for Gladio to be here full time on purpose, didn’t you?”

    Regis kept walking, not looking at his companion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

    “Why you- You’ve got your own son! Honestly…”

    The King stifled his laughter as he continued on, letting his fuming shield follow after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will probably come up more later, but I just wanted to explain a little about the Hydrafilii. As Prompto mentioned, they don't all look the same. A Hydrafilius (or Hydrafilia if female) can resemble basically any aquatic creature to a greater or lesser extent in way that better adapts them to living in water. Some, like Prompto, are more mammalian while others are piscine, reptilian, crustacean, or pretty much anything else that lives in the water. Unlike the typical depictions of mermaids, they will only have one type of skin rather than a clear division between bare skin and scales/fur/hide/etc. with the exception of many having hair on their heads. They all have a humanoid build although the limbs may differ in structure and number.
> 
> Besides altering their appearances, the Blessing of the Tidemother also allows them to breathe and talk underwater, and change to a fully human form as they please. There may or may not be a catch to this, but that will be explored in later chapters.
> 
> If you have any questions about the Hydrafilii or anything else, feel free to ask.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who asked for cuddles and abandonment issues? Anyone? Because that's what you're getting, so brace yourselves.

Gladio stared at the two younger kids, who were both watching him from their spot on the bed. The biting fluffball seemed curious while the prince looked more wary. At least with his father and the king gone he didn’t have to maintain formality anymore, which meant he could vent some of his annoyance by teasing the prince. “You had to ask for the weirdest pet, didn’t you?”

As he expected, Noct bristled and pouted at him. “He’s not a pet! He’s my friend!”

Gladio smirked as he continued. “You know a Hydrafilius is going to be a big responsibility. Do you even know what to feed him?”

“Yeah, he eats fish. And he’s not a pet, so quit talking about him like he is one.”

“I dunno, he looks a lot like a pet to me. All that’s missing is a collar.” He grinned, easily deflecting the pillow Noctis threw at him.

“Stop picking on him!” The prince demanded, seizing another pillow.

“I’m not, I’m picking on you.”

“Well knock it off!”

“Make me.”

Trapped between the two arguing opponents, Prompto was at a loss for what to do. He couldn’t easily escape, not as tangled in the blanket as he was, and he didn’t know how to get them to stop fighting over him when he couldn’t even get a word in. He hunched down as much as he could and pulled the covers over his head, hoping they would stop.

“That is enough! Both of you!” The commanding voice from the doorway was familiar and easily cut through the quarrel, ending it in an instant. Prompto peeked out to see Ignis quietly shut the door behind himself and march into the room. “You are distressing our guest.”

Noctis looked down at Prompto, having barely noticed him during the squabble. Now he could see that he was cowering and almost completely concealed by his blanket. He stuck a hand in to stroke Prompto’s hair and cheek. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Prompto titled his head into the petting and smiled tentatively. “It’s okay.”

Ignis surveyed the three others, noting how Noctis was tending to his friend and Gladio was sulking. He approached the latter who avoided his stern gaze. “What was that about?”

“It was nothing.” The young shield denied, still refusing to make eye contact.

“You know better than to antagonize him like that.” He chided.

“He was fine. He can take it.”

“Yes, but can his friend?” Ignis turned pointedly to look at them again, a subtle suggestion for Gladio to do the same.

He did, watching the prince tenderly peeling the blanket back from the still skittish little creature who was stealing anxious glances at him. Those big, fearful eyes were enough to diffuse the last of his frustration. Without needing Ignis to tell him what he should do, he moved to the bed and sat down on the edge, offering a hand to the little guy. “Sorry for scaring you. Again.”

Prompto eyed the hand warily. It was the slowly fading marks of his own teeth that made him overcome his hesitation long enough to place his hand in Gladio’s. The warm, gentle squeeze he received was unexpected, as was the awkward smile.

“You really are as soft as you look.” Gladio ran his fingers over the furry hand before letting it go. Alright, so maybe he was kind of cute. Like a puppy, if puppies could talk.

“Thanks.” It was probably meant to be a compliment, even if it was kind of a strange one. Now that he didn’t feel the need to hide, Prompto started squirming out of the blanket with Noctis and soon Gladio helping. It had gotten pretty tangled through all of the excitement so it took some work to free him.

Now Gladio could finally get a good look at him, and he really did look like a plush toy, all soft curves and fur with a few bunched up wrinkles from the way he was sitting. It was a struggle to resist poking at him.

A struggle that Noctis immediately lost. Prompto had barely had time to get himself situated when the prince’s hand was rubbing his belly. It still made him a little uncomfortable to be handled so much. “You really like my fur, huh?”

“Uh huh.” Before anyone could object, Noct leaned in to rest his head against Prompto’s chest, feeling the wonderful coat against his face.

“Um, Noctis? You’re, um…” Prompto struggled to figure out what to say, or even what he wanted. Part of him wanted to move away, but another part wanted to cuddle up closer. What he finally managed was, “They’re staring at us.”

“Don’t mind us.” Ignis assured him. “But don’t feel as though you have to let His Highness do as he pleases. You’re a person, not some toy.”

“Or a pet.” Gladio threw in playfully, giving in enough to ruffle Prompto’s hair.

“Don’t you start, too.” Ignis was about ready to force them both off the poor, helpless little thing.

“It’s okay, really.” Prompto said, as much to convince himself as Ignis. “They’re not hurting me.”

“That isn’t the point. You’ve as much right to your personal space as anyone else. Having fur does not change that.” No matter how tantalizingly pettable.

“But I… I think I like it.” He bunched up again, a habit Ignis was starting to guess meant he was nervous.

“You think you do?” Prompto nodded, but didn’t offer a further explanation, so Ignis asked, “But you aren’t certain?”

“I don’t know. It’s… a little weird. But it feels good. Like when I was little and my parents would hold me.” He nuzzled Noct’s head as he thought of the memories.

Neither of the other two seemed to think anything of the comment, and why would they? They both had only their fathers who they had long ago accepted would be too busy to give them much time. He himself had barely seen his parents since he had been given to the service of the king and prince. It was perhaps the one thing they all had in common.

It was that shared loneliness that lead him to climbing on the bed with the rest of them and reaching a hand out to Prompto. He stopped just short of making contact, meeting his big eyes. “May I?”

“Sure.” Prompto tilted his head forward, letting Ignis touch his hair in long, soothing strokes. Gladio scooted in closer so he get an arm around behind him, rubbing his back, and Noct cuddled up to him until he was just about in his lap. Being with these people, near strangers and humans even, he felt safer and happier than he had in a long time.

Ignis was the first to stop, sitting back to observe the others. “You know, we still don’t know much about Hydrafilii. Are you really comfortable being out of the water so long?”

Prompto nodded, still happily sandwiched between the other two. “I can go a whole month before I have to go back to the water.”

“That’s longer than I expected. If you can last for that long, then why are you dependant on water any more than we humans?”

“Because staying out of the water any longer than that would be spurning the Tidemother’s gift, so if you do she takes it back and you die. ...Why are you all looking at me like that?” To him it was a fact of life, but now all of his new friends were looking at him with alarm and worry.

Noct had even sat back far enough to look at his face. “If we don’t put you in water every month, you’ll die?”

“Yeah. That’s what everyone says. And that’s why no one wants to go far on land. If they can’t get back or find other water in time, or get caught by humans, they’ll die. But it’s okay.” He added quickly to calm his friends. “There’s lot of water in this city, right? So it should be easy to get to that often. Right?”

“We’ve got water in the Citadel.” Noctis offered, but Ignis shook his head.

“We shouldn’t assume that plumbing counts. Prompto, do you know what doesn’t or doesn’t qualify for your purposes?”

“Um… I’m not sure. All I know is I have to be fully submerged and it has to be enough water to ‘host the Tidemother herself.’” He recited from memory. “But I don’t know what that means.”

“Definitely not a bathtub. What about the bay?” Insomnia’s bay was only cut off from the ocean by the wall, but gods could be picky about details like that.

“The bay definitely works. I think the river does, too. It felt like it did. But I’d rather go to the bay, if that’s okay.” The memory of the rushing river current was still fresh in his mind. He wasn’t eager to go back to that.

“If the bay is the only location we can be completely certain of, then that’s where you’ll have to go. We can’t take any chances.” Not with Prompto’s life on the line. There were so many reasons why they couldn’t risk losing him, both practical, moral, and of course purely emotional. Ignis dug into his pocket to retrieve a small notebook, a pen clipped neatly to it. He jotted down a note about what they had learned and marked a very conservative date on the calendar for when he felt they absolutely had to get their friend to the bay by. “The best course of action would be to go to the bay as soon as possible. I’ll see if I can arrange it for tomorrow.”

The prince cocked his head. “Why tomorrow? It hasn’t been that long yet.”

“Because,” Ignis explained, “Right now we don’t know precisely how long it has been. What we think might be a safe time frame could in fact be wrong, and if we didn’t make it in time…” He let that sink in a moment before continuing. “But if we go right away, we could effectively reset how long he has and we would all know exactly how much time he’ll have left. For that matter, His Majesty should be informed of this detail so he can ensure future excursions will be prioritized appropriately. With Prompto’s permission, that is.” He looked to the little Hydrafilius, who was still puzzling through what he had said.

“You want to tell the king that I have to go to the bay to survive so he can make sure I always get there in time?” A nod from Ignis confirmed his understanding. “Okay. But why did you need to ask me first?”

“It’s sensitive information that could be used against you or your people. You should have a say in who is trusted with it. We all trust His Majesty, but as this matter pertains solely to you, you should be the one to make the decision.”

“Oh. I’ve never made a decision that important before.” Something that could be used against his people? Now that Ignis brought it up, he could all too easily picture sailors and fishermen dragging raiders out of the water and locking them away until the blessing was revoked. “But… The king wouldn’t really let anyone get hurt, would he?”

“He is the king, his first responsibility is always to his people, even if it comes at the expense of others.” Seeing how the sudden weight of the decision distressed the younger boy, Ignis placed a hand on his head and gently ruffled his hair. He might have to get used to making difficult choices someday, but not quite yet. “Perhaps for now we should keep it to ourselves. If you ever feel like you are ready, you can tell him, and until then we will make sure you are safe.”

“Dunno about anyone else,” Gladio added, giving Prompto a little squeeze. “But I was given orders to protect you second only to keeping the prince safe. If you need to get to the bay, I’ll carry you there myself if I have to.”

“Thanks.” Prompto relaxed under all the affection, certain that he could trust his friends no matter what they were. “And I’ll think about telling the king.”

“Good.” Ignis praised, once again referring to his notebook. “I’ll try to arrange transport for tomorrow morning. If we aim to arrive in time to have him in the water by noon, we’ll have a wide window to work with in the future and an easy time to remember. Then if we aim to make trips approximately every two weeks, three at the absolute most, we can always be certain of his safety.” He added a few more notes for potential future dates then snapped the notebook closed.

“Sounds like a plan.” Gladio agreed, and Noctis nodded as well.

“Then I’d best go attend to that.” Ignis started to rise, but a small hand caught the edge of his shirt.

Prompto was looking up at him, his grip on the fabric already loosening. “Do you really have to go now?”

Ignis wondered how many times he’d said that phrase or some variation on it before. How often had he given that same look to his parents? How often had Noctis or Gladio done the same thing? Had he ever done it? He sat back down and took the younger boy’s hand in his own. “I suppose it can wait a little longer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say for this chapter except that as far as I can tell, Eos uses the Gregorian calendar and that is kind of weird when you think about it. So by "month" what Prompto technically means is one cycle of the phases of the moon. Leviathan has no special connection to the moon, she was just nice enough to use a timer that anyone could easily track with no special tools or knowledge.
> 
> As for what really happens to Hydrafilii who stay out of the water too long and what does count as water that can save them, that might be explored more later.
> 
> And in case I forget to bring it up in later chapters, for this fic Ignis has both parents but they live in Accordo. He is technically under the legal guardianship of his uncle as well as Regis, but effectively it's just Regis since he lives in the Citadel so he can be available for Noct at any given time. So he has a lot of parental figures, none of whom spend much time actually parenting him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned this on another fic, but I am back from my medical hiatus! Sadly this also means I am back to work, so I still won't be updating as frequently as I used to.

“Your Highness?” The maid’s voice called softly from the doorway. When there was no answer, she stepped inside and tentatively approached the bed. “Your Highness, it’s time to get up.”

The prince didn’t budge, but something beside him stirred. A furry face peeked shyly out from the covers at her.

The maid smiled down at him. “Oh, our little guest. Do you think you could help me wake His Highness?”

Prompto nodded and gave Noctis a small shake. “Noctis? There’s a lady here who says you have to wake up.” He waited a moment, but still the prince remained soundly asleep. A second attempt likewise failed, as did tugging on his arm. Helplessly he looked up at the maid. “It’s not working. Is he okay?”

“Oh yes, he’s fine.” She chuckled as she reached down to remove the covers. “His Highness is just a heavy sleeper, that’s all.”

The loss of warmth finally got a response, though not quite what they were trying for. Instead of waking, Noctis scooted closer to Prompto and tried to burrow under his thick pelt.

“Oh dear, he’s being more stubborn than usual. Why don’t you get out of bed and see if he’ll follow your good example?” The maid urged.

Squirming free of the prince, Prompto shifted to his fully human form so he could slide off the bed onto two feet. This time he was clad in a set of pajamas that had been given to him the previous evening. He watched as Noctis moved into the space he had been occupying with a frustrated whine at the loss of all other sources of warmth and finally opened his eyes and sat up.

“Good morning, Your Highness. Breakfast has been prepared for you and your guest and a car will be waiting for you when you’re finished.” Already the maid was selecting clothes for the two boys, handing a set to Prompto and leaving a neatly folded stack at the foot of the bed for the prince.

Noctis rubbed at his eyes sleepily. “A car? Where are we going?”

“It looks like you’re scheduled to visit the harbor today. Another fishing trip?”

“Um, sort of.” Noctis answered, looking at Prompto.

“That’s good. But maybe try to come back with just fish this time.” She teased gently before taking her leave.

Noctis climbed off the bed and starting undressing with Prompto hastily following his example. Most of the clothes he could manage on his own, though he did need his friend to help him tie his shoes on. Together they made their way to one of the smaller, more intimate dining rooms for a breakfast with just the two of them. The kitchen staff had even made sure to provide fish and seaweed for their guest, though not in a form he was familiar with.

Prompto sniffed the oddly discolored fish on his plate. The dry brown skin was off putting, but the scent was irresistible. Carefully he cut a piece loose he took a bite. “Wow!”

“What?” Noct looked up from his own plate curiously.

“It’s really, really good!” Prompto gushed, quickly shoving another bite into his mouth. The crisp of the skin and tender flesh beneath it was like nothing he’d ever had before. And the flavors! “How do they make it taste so good?”

The prince shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it’s grilled.” He watched as his friend eagerly devoured his breakfast, a smile spreading on his lips. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Do you get to eat food like this every day?”

“Yeah, pretty much. Sometimes it’s different food, but it’s mostly good.” He looked back down at an unwelcome side of sauteed spinach pushed to the edge of his plate. “Do you eat vegetables?”

    “Yeah, why?”

    “You can have mine.” Without waiting for a further response, Noct pushed the lump of wilted greens off of his plate and onto Prompto’s.

    “You’re sure that’s okay?”

    “Yeah, just eat it before anyone sees.”

    Still skeptical, Prompto tried a small taste. “What is this?”

    “I think it’s spinach. You’ve never had it before, have you?”

    He shook his head. “No. But it’s kind of like kelp, sort of, but it tastes better.”

    When they’d finished, Noctis lead Prompto out to the front of the citadel where a car was waiting as well as Ignis, Gladio, and two Crownsguard. Seeing the guards, Prompto huddled closer to Noct. It hadn’t been long since people in those uniforms had hauled him out of the water and talked about how best to dispose of him.

    Noctis gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as they approached the car and looked sternly up at the guards. Neither of them had been along for the last trip, so Noct was fully prepared to make a few things clear to them about how this one would be going, and he would have if Ignis didn’t step in before he had a chance.

    “I found what I believe should be an ideal location. Due to the situation with the outflow grate, you’ve been assigned an escort to be on hand in case there is another incident. But their interference shouldn’t be necessary as you will have your shield present.”

    “Okay.” Noctis gave in, still giving the pair of guards a wary look. He helped Prompto into the car, the two of them sitting nestled between their older companions. The drive was even longer than last time, taking them so far out that by the time they turned off the main roads, the wall was towering over them. They’d gone past the major shipping docks and were now out to a stretch of long, low buildings and wide swatches of flat ground that Noctis couldn’t quite make out the purpose of.

    “Aquaculture farms.” Ignis supplied when he noticed the prince trying to lean over him to get a better look. “They cultivate seaweed, fish, and other seafood so we aren’t completely reliant on what is caught from the ocean.”

    “We do stuff like that, too.” Prompto mused, now also craning his neck to try to see. “But we do it underwater, not on land.”

    “If you’re interested then maybe we can stop and take a closer look on our way back.” Ignis offered.

    From there it wasn’t much further to a small rocky cove. The scent of brine filled the air as they piled out of the car. Prompto remained clinging to Noctis even as he stared wistfully out at the crashing waves. Once the guards had done a sweep of the area to be sure there were no threats on the shore, they reluctantly permitted the group of children to go out to the water while they hung back.

    Gladio lead the way, mostly for appearances, with Noctis and Prompto following him and Ignis taking up the rear to keep an eye on the others. Carefully they climbed over the rough rocks down to where the water had smoothed them into gentler, rounded shapes and smooth, flat surfaces. When they were almost to the water line Gladio stopped and turned back to Prompto. “So you just need to get in the water?”

    “And I have to be in my other form.”

    “Do you need to remove your clothes first?” Ignis asked, both curious and concerned. After all, pants and the hind end of a seal weren’t very compatible.

    But Prompto shook his head and smiled proudly. “No, I’m getting the hang of changing with them.” He had practiced the previous night with his new pajamas to be sure of it. “Except the shoes, they’re too big and bulky.”

    Before he even needed to ask Noctis was dropping to his knees to help untie the laces for him. “You’re sure you’re going to be okay? The waves look really strong.”

    “I’ll be okay, I’m good at riding waves.” Free of the shoes, he sat down on one of the largest rocks and let his toes dip into the water. The cold sent a shiver up his body and with it his fur swept over him, covering his clothes in the process. He looked down at the lapping waves that seemed to be reaching for him, trying to pull him back to his home, then he forced his gaze back to his friends. Ignis and Gladio were watching from a distance while Noctis was crouched at his side.

    The prince reached out to stroke his cheek, his face showing that he was still very worried. “You’ll come right back, right?”

    Prompto took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. “I will. So… don’t leave without me, okay?”

    The squeeze was returned almost too hard. “We won’t. No matter what.”

    Still anxious, Prompto took his hand back and pushed off the rock into the surf. With a kick of his flippers he dove down under the waves into the soft embrace of the sea. He hadn’t realized just how much he had missed the feeling of drifting effortlessly through the water, the Tidemother’s blessing allowing him to breathe as freely as he did on land. He twisted and spiraled just for the fun of it, reveling in the freedom of being where he belonged.

    Except it was different from how it had always been. Something was missing. He turned upward and shot back up the choppy surface, bobbing in the waves as he checked the shore. His friends were grouped together now but otherwise hadn’t gone anywhere, and as soon as Gladio pointed him out Noctis’s worried frown broke into a smile. He waved and Prompto eagerly waved back.

    He ducked back under and let himself be carried forward by the rushing water to pop up again just short of the rock where the others were sitting so he could brace himself against it as the waves rocked him.

    Noctis inched closer, still beaming. “Is it working?”

    “I think so. I can still breathe underwater and I’ve got my fur and flippers, so I still have the blessing.”

    Noctis tried to reach for him, but in doing so he started to slide on the wet rock. In an instant Gladio was behind him, gripping the back of his shirt to hold him back from plunging into the water. “No way are you falling in twice in a row.”

    “Thanks Gladio.” Noctis said sincerely as his friend helped him back to a drier spot. “But… what if I went in the water on purpose?”

    “Not happening.” The shield answered flatly. “Do you even know how to swim?”

    “Of course I know how!” The prince pouted.

    “Yeah, and have you ever had to keep your head above waves before? Besides, I’m not bringing you back soaking wet. It was hard enough for Ignis to negotiate for me to be the only one out here with you, don’t give them any reason to change that.”

    “Alright.” Noctis relented, dropping down to sit on the rock.

    With a little boost from a wave, Prompto slid up next to him. “Where do you go swimming?”

    “In the pool at home.”

    Prompto cocked his head. “Pool? Like a tide pool?”

    “No, it’s… it’s…”

    Helpfully Ignis filled in where Noctis was struggling. “It’s more like a pond, but man made and with nothing living or growing in it.”

    “Oh.” It didn’t sound very pleasant, but for Noctis Prompto was willing to try to be interested. “We could swimming together there, right?”

    Noctis nodded. “Yeah, we could.”

    “Okay, then… let’s go back to your home so we can swim together. It’s more fun than being alone.” Even a lifeless pool would be better than that nagging fear he’d felt being back in his world while leaving his new friends behind.

    And if there was still a little reluctance in his tone, Noct didn’t seem to notice it. “Alright.”

    “You’re certain you’ve spent enough time here?” Ignis questioned, studying Prompto for any visible signs that might give a clue to his condition.

    “Pretty sure. We’ll still come back, right?”

    “Yes, as needed. If we’re fortunate, the pool will suffice for maintaining your blessing.” Seeing Prompto give the water a wistful look, he quickly added. “Of course even if it’s not necessary for you to live, we can still visit regularly if you’d like to.”

    The smile Prompto gave him made it clear his guess was right. “Then it’s okay if we go back now. And we can see the fish farms on the way, right?”

    “If the workers don’t mind.” Ignis smiled back as he offered Prompto a towel he’d brought along.

    Once again Prompto’s coat receded, leaving him clothed and only a little damp. He patiently held still while Ignis toweled his hair dry and Noctis helped him with the shoes again. As his friends lead him back up to the car, he stole a last look back at the bay and the waves still reaching out to him. He couldn’t stay away forever, but if all went well he wouldn’t have to. He just had to hope the king could find a way to convince his people to let him stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for previous chapters I've been putting in various bits of lore and I hadn't been quite sure why I felt the need to. Now I'm starting to think that I would like to open up this particular AU to other writers. So please let me know if you are a fellow writer who would be interested in working with the Hydrafilii! Or if you have experience with writers on here letting others write in their universes because I have my own thoughts on how I would like to do it, but if there's precedent I should probably at least know what it is.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic on AO3, so if you have any suggestions for how I can improve it, such as tags it should have, how it should be formatted, or things you would like to see covered in the notes, please let me know.


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